Echoes of Power (Betas in Waiting #35)

Chapter One

Arwell stepped into the private room, and when Hatcher said, “Lady Fen, this is Arwell Breaker,” the small omega rose to her feet and charged over.

“You cheated!”

“It was an auction, Lady Fen. You can’t cheat.” Arwell grinned as the little, outraged omega shook her finger at her.

“You won every item you bid on. That defied the odds. You cheated.”

Arwell leaned down until her nose was an inch from Lady Fen’s. “Prove it.”

The omega gasped and then looked at the woman she was staring at. “You are...”

“Yes. Use your words.”

Hatcher laughed. “Lady Fen, this is my friend Arwell. She is also an omega of the djinn variety.”

Lady Fen huffed. “What did you do with the ceramics?”

“Donated to the Chinese cultural centre here in the city. Offered any pieces that the government wished to repatriate to them as well.”

Lady Fen leaned back. “You did?”

“Yup. Just ask the coordinator. I just wanted to get the vases and headpieces away from someone who was planning on using them for his next barbeque.”

Hatcher said softly, “She’s serious. She has an affinity for history that is astonishing.”

Arwell smiled and stood straight. “I was trying to goad her into slapping me so I could leave.”

Lady Fen fought a smile as she returned to her seat.

Hatcher smiled. “This is Wei, Strider, and Jasper. Gentlemen, this is my friend Arwell.”

Arwell inclined her head. “Guys, take care of her. She runs hot.”

Wei nodded. “We have already discussed the details.”

Arwell nodded. “Of course you have. She looks so relaxed. It’s like her hair is going to snap.”

Hatcher sighed. “It’s been a stressful day.”

A masculine throat cleared, and Arwell turned her head toward the three men who were sitting and waiting. She wrinkled her nose. One of them was hers. He glowed to her senses. The other two had a different and gold crackle to them.

Her phone went off. “Think of the devil.” She held up her hand when folks around her were talking, and the room went quiet. There was growling and screaming coming from behind the sharp breathing. “Rhea?”

“Yup. Can you drop me a location? I got turned around.”

“Where are you?”

“Fifty feet ahead of shadow mages.”

Arwell flared up.

“Thanks. I see you. How high are your ceilings?”

“We are in a fourteen-foot-high space.”

“Dropping in three.” The call cut off.

Arwell looked at Lady Fen. “We are about to have a guest, but she will be fast.”

A shining and golden portal formed in the ceiling, and then a figure was falling through it.

Rhea fell through the portal and landed in a hero pose. The portal closed, and Rhea was smoking gently as she stood and slapped the black, ragged robes she was wearing.

Arwell looked at her. “Found ‘em?”

“Yup. Sent them home.” Rhea looked around, her gaze moving past the set of three alphas who were sitting. “Ah. I have intruded. So sorry.”

Rhea made another portal and jumped through. Before it closed, two of the alphas followed her.

Arwell chuckled. “That is what I thought.”

The third alpha was sitting by himself suddenly. “Miss, since I am suddenly without companionship, would you have a seat?”

“I don’t know. Is Lady Fen going to have me poisoned?”

Lady Fen paused. The room went quiet. Finally, she laughed. “I think that would not be a wise move. Please, Arwell, be seated.”

The man who glowed like a shadowed moon beckoned to her. “Fine. I am hungry, after all.”

Hatcher grinned and said, “Thanks for coming, Arwell.”

“You are welcome. Now, bring on the dumplings.” She grinned.

Lady Fen tapped her phone, and some servers, who looked like they normally didn’t get up for a few hours, wearing crisp uniforms, were moving easily in the space.

The man next to her said, “Set three more settings, please. They are going to bring her back here.”

Arwell smiled. “They are?”

“They are. Why was she in the shadow mage zone?”

“Finding the last few prisoners who were being bled for energy.” She dipped her fingers in the finger bowl and wiped her hands before picking up the chopsticks and starting to load her bowl.

He touched her wrist before she got the rice to her mouth. “We wait for the omega to eat first.”

“Which one?”

He paused. “What?”

“Which one? Old one, hot one, or crazy one? There are three omegas here.” She shovelled food into her mouth with relief.

He paused and laughed. “You are right.”

“I know. I am right a lot.” She kept eating, and Lady Fen smirked.

Hatcher laughed.

“So, how did you and Lady Fen butt heads?”

“Oh, we are in the same circles when it comes to the arts. We run into each other at museum events and ancient artifact auctions. Lots of charity fundraisers.” She smiled.

“So, you are wealthy.”

“I work for a living, but it has become easy work over time.” She smiled. “Oh, I am a guardian to a tween boy.”

“What?”

“Yup. He’s legally my ward and goes to a private school owned by Lady Fen’s daughter Ava. He’s not a negotiating point.”

“Where did you acquire him?”

“Rhea brought him home from the shadow mage realm, and I was in the position to take him as my ward, so I did.”

“Just like that?”

“I already had the company and the house. Adding the child wasn’t difficult.”

“You know who his parents were?”

“Nope, but we checked him over and figured out that she was an Elite concubine who was pitched through the gateway. He was born there.”

“Any sign of his mother?”

“No. Rhea looked, but there wasn’t any sign of her. If they killed her, they left no trace.”

“What have you told him about her?”

“That his mother was taken to a dark place where he was born. We searched and couldn’t find her, and if we ever do, we will see if she is ready to be part of his life.”

“Why phrase it like that?”

“Because it is possible that she had him and died, or survived and used a burst of energy to get herself home.”

He blinked. “Right. So if she does come back for him?”

“I will genetic test the hell out of her before she sets one foot near him.” She smiled. “And quite a few more exam techniques.”

He nodded. “I am Ryo.”

“Arwell. Pleased to meet you.”

“You don’t wish to shake hands?”

“I am exhausted and don’t wish to lose any more energy.”

“I swear to keep my draw to myself.” He smiled.

She sighed and put her chopsticks down, reaching for him. When his fingers closed around hers, she felt the surge of her magic trying to respond to his, and she swayed.

He moved and supported her. “You really are tired.”

“It was a busy night. I had to teleport a number of people and all their worldly possessions to avoid fire damage. It takes it out of you.”

“Where did you leave your ward?”

“He’s with his friends. The wizards and their children that Brexel adopted.”

“Brexel? And Oren and Ymer?”

“Yup. And their mate Iris and the dogs. And Noh’s mate’s daughter. They had a sleepover while I was busy with my project. They drove him to and from school for me.”

“So, they knew about your omega status?”

“Not sure. They certainly didn’t know about my djinn status until this morning.”

“How did you come to be?”

She resumed eating. “My parents had sex.”

Across the room, Hatcher spluttered, and Wei rubbed her back.

Ryo stared at her. “Well, you are forthright.”

“Yup. Getting hungry, though.” She glanced at Hatcher. “Aw. That’s cute.”

Hatcher’s three alphas were putting food in her bowl. She was sitting and blushing.

Arwell smiled. “I think her panic has worn off.”

“She was nervous?”

“Yes. It was a bit of a rush. Her sister sort of dragged her into it.”

“She has a sister?”

“Yup. Ax is a delta. She’s dealing with her own group.”

“And you have your friend Rhea.”

“Yup. She and I met a long time ago.”

She kept eating, neatly segmenting the larger food.

Ryo kept his arm behind her to steady her. “Are you always this hungry?”

“No innuendo, but only when I have been exerting myself excessively.”

He chuckled. “Do you have anyone in mind for a third?”

She paused. “I haven’t thought about having a mate at all.”

A portal opened, and one of the elves who followed Rhea came out, holding the hand of a golden woman wearing a gold gown that was off one shoulder.

Arwell smiled at Rhea’s dazed expression as the second elf followed Rhea out of the portal. The first one grinned. “Her clothing kept burning. We made her something new.”

Rhea muttered, “Elf-generated. As soon as they aren’t with me, I am naked.”

Ryo gestured to the seats next to them. “We saved a spot.”

The man in the lead grinned. “Thank you, Ryo.”

The gathering settled at the low seat, and Hatcher stared at Rhea. “Reeree?”

Rhea was tired but smiled. “Hey, Hatch. Sorry. Not at my best today. Fireballs suck.” She lifted her head and looked at Lady Fen.

“Pardon for my uninvited arrival, Lady Fen. It was not my idea to interrupt this brunch. Breakfast. Whatever. I just needed Arwell to give me a beacon so I could find this world again.”

Fen’s eyes got wide. “You move... between worlds?”

“Worlds, dimensions, it is all a little confusing. I step, and I am there.” Rhea smiled, and her gold skin darkened as the men with her served her rice and filled her bowl. One of them washed her fingers, and the other got the first mouthful ready. “So, this isn’t mortifying at all.”

The first alpha grinned. “You are exhausted, little warrior. Let us help.”

“If there weren’t four of you, I wouldn’t be outnumbered.”

The other male stroked her cheek, and Rhea turned her head. He said softly, “Open.”

Rhea opened her mouth, and the alpha slowly began to feed her.

Arwell chuckled and looked at Ryo. “I have a question for you.”

“Sure.”

“Why are so many of the dark elves such good partner material? Like abnormally so.”

He smiled. “Monster class.”

“What?”